Through the Church Fathers: July 11

Today’s readings guide us through foundational questions of theology and spiritual life. Thomas Aquinas opens with a meditation on the image of God in humanity, asking whether this image exists in all people or only in the just. He explains that while all humans bear the image of God through reason, this image shines most clearly in the righteous, who are conformed to God through grace. Augustine, in Confessions, Book 10, examines the subtle temptations of pride and praise, honestly wrestling with his desire for approval and questioning whether he seeks it for his neighbor’s good or out of self-love. He confesses his uncertainty before God, praying for deeper self-knowledge and for the grace to desire truth above all else. Irenaeus, writing in Against Heresies, continues his sweeping defense of the faith by insisting that the one God revealed in the Old Testament is the same as the God proclaimed in the Gospel. He demonstrates from both prophets and apostles that there is no other Lord but the one supreme God, whose promises to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ, Emmanuel. Together, these readings invite us to consider what it means to be made in God’s image, to pursue genuine humility, and to trust the unity of God’s revelation in Scripture.Explore the Project:Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.comPatreon – https://www.patreon.com/cmichaelpattonCredo Courses – https://www.credocourses.comCredo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org